Bushwalking Itinerary, 2000

Meetings are held a week prior to each trip, usually on a Friday at 5.00pm outside the fitness centre. If you intend to come on a walk but can not make it to the meeting, you should contact Simon Roebuck prior to the meeting.

Sunday 9th April, Alligator Creek Falls

This is a 17 Km return day trip to some spectacular Rock Pools at the southern limit of the Wet Tropics. Often festooned with butterflies (and the occasional mossie) this is an excellent introduction to North Queensland. The walk passes through a variety of habitats including woodlands, vine thicket and rainforest.

The grade is moderate and walkers should take a packed lunch, sunscreen, hat, water and a little repellent may be appreciated.

Sunday 23rd- Monday 24th April (Easter Weekend), Broadwater

Broadwater is one of the nicest camping areas we know, situated approximately 60km northwest of Ingham, the area is mostly lowland rainforest, extending into upland regions of the Cardwell Ranges.

Broadwater is a great place to relax or go exploring. On past bushwalks, students have trekked upstream and li-loed down. This is a great opportunity to get to know other people in the club and form new friendships.

Saturday 20th- Sunday 21st May, Paluma/Rainforest Weekend

Paluma is one of the most popular scenic attractions near Townsville. The area is surrounded by upland rainforest, forming the southern end of the Wet Topics. JCU has a research house at Paluma, which we will stay at over night. The cost of this is $10 per student.

The weekend will consist of a swim and exploration of Crystal Creek on the way up to Paluma. For those interested in rainforest plants, we are intending to hold a plant identification workshop Saturday afternoon. Saturday evening will be spent spotlighting for possums and gliders at Taravale, 25km SW of Paluma. For those that can make it up at the crack of dawn, we plan to organise an early morning birdwatching excursion, followed by a drive out to Birthday Creek Falls and the Paluma Dam.

Sunday 2nd-Saturday 8th July, Atherton Tableland/ Cape Trib. Adventure

This six day escape will include a climb to the top of Queenslands highest mountain (Mt Bartle Frere) and down into the southern end of the Atherton Tablelands. A day will be spent exploring this area, including a visit to little known waterfalls, birdwatching and spotlightling. From here we head north of the Tablelands to MT Lewis, an area of spectacular rainforest and bird diversity. The next three days will be spent exploring Mossman gorge, Thorton Peak and Cape Tribulation, then head back to Townsville on Saturday.

Due to the expensive costs of university vehicle hire, this trip must be organised through car pooling, and will depend on how many cars are available. At this stage we would just like to find out who is interested in coming. The total cost for the trip will be about $150 including travel, food and accommodation.

Sunday 6th August, Running River

Running River is located near Hidden Valley, 40km west of Paluma. The river passes through open eucalypt forest, and forms a steep gorge south of Hidden Valley. This runs for approximate 10km. A full day trip is planned to discover the gorge and its many waterfalls.

Sunday 3rd September, Dalrymple Gap Walking Track

Situated near Five Mile Creek, south of Cardwell, the Dalrymple Gap Walking track retraces the original overland path of George Dalrymple from his home at the Valley of Lagoons to the port of Cardwell in 1864. The walking track is 10 kilometres long. On the eastern side of the Cardwell Range, the track passes through open eucalypt forest, which change into rainforest on the western side of the range. The track meets up with Dalrymple Creek, a great place to have lunch and go for a swim.

Sunday 8th October, Wallaman Falls

Wallaman Falls is Australia's largest single drop waterfall. Situated 60km west of Ingham- the falls are one of North Queenslands most spectacular scenic attractions. The falls are shrouded in mist over much of the year, and the volume of water changes from a raging torrent in the summer to a sparse 'rain-like' shower in winter. It takes approximately 1/2 an hour to descend the 2km walk to the bottom of the falls. The scenery undergoes some spectacular changes from open forest, to dense permanently moist rainforest. The pool at the bottom is an excellent swimming hole, though very cold.

Saturday 2nd- Friday 8th December, Hinchenbrook Island

Hinchenbrook Island is Australia's largest island national park. A 32km trail runs along the east coast of the island. The island is renown for its diverse landscapes which range from open woodland, rainforest, mangroves, melaleuca swamps, beach forest and mountain escapements. The trail follows unsurpassed stretches of coastline and numerous waterholes.

The walk is not difficult though some areas are rough to traverse. To help minimise impact to the areas and to maintain the wilderness setting, permits are issued for a maximum of 40 people on the Trail at any time, and the largest group size is six. Numbers for this trip must be known by the end of 1st semester, and will be limited to 12 people- due to the difficulty of booking large groups. The cost will be approximately $150 + food. This includes a $90 transfer fee to and from the island.